Nano- and micro-replication is currently used for polymers. Nano- and micro-replication technology could be used to mass-produce precise structures in a variety of polymer films. This proprietary technology of companies such as Avery Dennison Corporation and 3M uses heat and pressure to liquefy a polymer and then reform it into extremely precise microstructures in a continuous, repeating pattern—often in the form of tiny protrusions, depressions, ridges or holes. Micro-replication provides micron-scale precision, high-structure density, high volume and low cost. Micro-replicated products could be used in a variety of products, including consumer products, health care, electronics, flat panel displays and micro electric-mechanical systems—to create a variety of micro-replicated product solutions.
However, currently there is no technology to form nano- and micro-replications such as holograms in metals like that available for making the same in polymer films. The conventional way of putting a hologram on a metal device is by first printing a hologram having holographic images on a piece of paper or sticker and then taping the paper or sticker on the metal surface of the device. However, by this method, one can remove the hologram from one device and put it on another device. Alternatively, if one wants to put the holographic images on the device itself without a sticker one needs to remove the components out of the device because the fabrication process involves some kinds of a wet process like etching. Therefore, there is a need to solve these problems by being able to put a hologram or something similar without having to remove the internal component of the device and make the hologram non-removable from the device.
Accordingly, there is a need to develop replication technology to mass-produce precise nano- and micro-scale structures e.g., holograms, directly embossed in a metal device without a wet process and without having to remove any component from the device, for example, the components of a cell phone.